Like a sporting event, the show mixes the expected with the unexpected. Fusco has attended the show since its inception 35 years ago, and it acts as a reunion among sports memorabilia enthusiasts.

The show started 35 years ago as a club event. The inaugural event attracted 35 attendees and filled less than 20 percent of the hotel's ballroom. This year's version will fill the entire ballroom, feature dealers from 20 states and Canada and specialize on vintage materials, meaning the majority of the purchases, trades and appraisals will involve pre-1980 collectibles.

"I tell people it's not just for collectors," said Fusco, who has served as the show's promoter since 2007. "It's like walking through a hall of fame. The stuff that comes through the show is amazing. We have had Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb autographed baseballs there and some real rare cards. It's just fun to walk through the room."

The element of surprise separates the show from other events, said Mike Heffner, the president of show sponsor Lelands, a prestigious New York-based auction house. Heffner said the Strongsville show is one of 10 events Lelands makes a priority to attend each year.

"It's pound-for-pound one of the best shows in the country," Heffner said. "There's a lot of old material, a lot of history in there. Paul resurrected that show and brought it back to the great thing that it used to be."

The show has adapted to changes in the sports memorabilia industry. Fusco said card sets such as the 1952 Topps edition created buzzes at early shows. In the mid-1980s, a man arrived at the show clutching a Tris Speaker game-worn uniform and items used by "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. His method for obtaining the items? Diving into a dumpster outside Municipal Stadium following the closure of a miniature Cleveland Indians museum at the ballpark.

"I have seen some crazy stuff," Fusco said.

Increased awareness in the value of sports collectibles makes finding dumpster treasures more difficult. Heffner said Lelands is bringing a Mario Lemieux game-used jersey and Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle bats to Strongsville. His voice becomes animated when discussing what can't be scripted.

"There are going to be some treasures walking through that door," he said. "That's what keeps me in the business. It's about the thrill of the hunt. You never know when 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson's jersey might walk in."

Admission to the show is $4. Fusco said he's expecting around 2,000 collectors and sports fans to attend the event.